


Drenched in sun

by I_want_to_hunt_the_Moon



Category: Feverwake - Victoria Lee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Cuddling & Snuggling, Flower Petnames, Fluff, Jaime is the moon, M/M, This is camii's au but she let me kick around in it, low bar to cross I know, mentions of Lehrer being a dick but not as much as he could have been, wood nymph au, y'all know I love petnames
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27582668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_want_to_hunt_the_Moon/pseuds/I_want_to_hunt_the_Moon
Summary: He was pulled out of his thoughts by a torn scratching his ankle. He hissed and moved his foot away, the branch it belonged to slowly snaking past his ankle and further into the woods. He followed it with his eyes. The constant growth could only mean it was one of Dara’s creations.It also meant he was upset.Shit.
Relationships: Noam Álvaro/Dara Shirazi
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Drenched in sun

**Author's Note:**

  * For [riotkun](https://archiveofourown.org/users/riotkun/gifts).



> Thank you Camii for letting me loan your au!  
> Also not me writing another Dara has plants powers au.
> 
> Let us live like flowers
> 
> Wild and beautiful  
> And drenched in sun  
> -Ellen Everett
> 
> y'all already know I'm a pretentious poem lover shut up

Noam gingerly navigated between the low hanging branches. He was getting used to living here. People had tried their hardest to make the cold woods a home but still. Whenever the sun started to travel downwards again and threw shadow off the branches he felt unwelcome, like both him and the trees knew he didn't belong here.

He didn't really, not like Dara did. 

He was pulled out of his thoughts by a torn scratching his ankle. He hissed and moved his foot away, the branch it belonged to slowly snaking past his ankle and further into the woods. He followed it with his eyes. The constant growth could only mean it was one of Dara’s creations.

It also meant he was upset.

Shit.

He moved closer to the river, pushing plants out his face, eyes searching until they settled on Dara’s small figure, seated on the rocks that bend low over the river like the stone had decided to watch its own reflection. He had pulled his knees to his chest and was hiding his face in them. Arching around him were the twisting limbs embellished with thorns that he always created when something was wrong.

“Dara?” he called out. He learned his lesson after the first time he startled Dara and almost had his head garroted off by an overzealous thorn bush.

Dara flinched and quickly wiped his hands over his face. “Noam?”

“Yeah, it’s me, blossom. What’s going on?” He walked over to Dara, the branches didn't lock him out and Noam felt a little giddy at the fact that Dara trusted him enough to let him close now. 

“Nothing. I’m fine.” He settled down next to Dara and studied him carefully. Whenever Dara got sad it was as if the color drained out of him, the sharp vibrantness he was made out of muting itself to something more suitably melancholic. Dara sighed deeply and pressed two leather boots against his chest. “I got you shoes.”

Noam grabbed them. “These are… really good quality.”

“Good to know I wasn't scammed,” Dara muttered.

“Did you buy these, petal?”

“Yes. How else would I have gotten them?”

“I don't know. Mugging some poor farmer who trampled your flowers?”

Dara let out an amused huff. “I wouldn't just mug them.”

It was said soft and light with a twinkle in his eyes but Noam knew he meant it. It was frightening sometimes, how wild Dara was. The fact that he could tear Noam apart with barely any thought if he wished. “So how did you get them?”

Dara shrugged and stuck out one foot to trail it languidly through the water of the river. “A traveler.”

“Did you mug them?”

Dara snorted. “No. I made a bet.”

“What kinda bet?”

“He had the cards you need for the game I like.”

“Poker?”

Dara nodded. “Poker. And I knew you needed new shoes. So I said that if I won I would get his shoes.”

Noam grinned. “And you won.”

“Yes.”

Noam turned them over, slowly stroking over the unworn sole. “These look new.”

“They are. He didn't want to give me his shoes so he gave me money instead.”

“So you bought them?”

“Yes, Álvaro. What part of this concept is difficult for you to understand?”

“The part where you're in a store. And buy something. With people around you.”

Dara grew somber again. “It was weird.”

“Did they say something to you?” A sudden anger flared in his chest at these people that had dared to upset Dara to a point where even his flowers hadn't been able to lift his spirits.

“No. A lot of weird looks, children pointing, some men asking me weird stuff but it was fine.”

Noam started to untie the strips of leather he had been using as makeshift shoes ever since his boots had given out. It wasn't ideal but it was better than nothing. None of the spirits he had seen needed shoes and Noam had no idea where the nearest village big enough to have a shoemaker was located. He cast an envious look at Dara’s unblemished feet, Noam had seen him walk over branches, rocks and _broken glass_ without even looking bothered. He pulled on the boots and whistled lowly.

“You like them?” Dara sounded hopeful.

“I love them, blossom.”

Dara smiled. “I’m glad they fit.”

“What would you have done if they hadn't fit?”

“I don't know. Threatened the seller into giving me better shoes,” Dara said with a mischievous smile.

“You’re amazing. Thank you.” He cupped Dara’s face and drew him into a kiss and Dara melted into him. When Noam broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against Dara’s. The tenseness was still braided in Dara’s shoulders but the vines had slowed their growth and little flower buds had made their home in between the thorns.

Dara tucked his head under Noam’s chin. “No one said anything. I just saw someone I knew.”

“Who?”

“My father.”

 _Father?_ “I didn't know you had family.”

“I don’t. Not really. I had a father. Before.”

Noam furrowed his brow. “Before what?”

“When I was human.”

 _What_.

“You were human?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

Dara sighed. “The beings of the forest didn't know how to take care of a human child so the queen transformed me into this.” Dara swept his arm through the air at the arching blood-dark limbs trailing around them. 

Noam didn't know how to feel about the new information presented to him. He had always thought Dara was born here, that Dara was created by the delphic queen that ruled these lands. “I thought your mother was Linda.”

Dara snorted. “No. She’s like a mother to me but we aren't related. She found me when I was left here and raised me. I’ll always love her for that.” 

“What do you mean left?”

Dara bit his lip so hard Noam was scared he was going to bite right through it. “I don't know what happened. But I’m alone now.”

“Did you ask him?”

Dara swallowed hard. “He doesn't want me anymore. I don't know why. It doesn't matter anyway.”

Noam looked at the tips of his new boots. “I’m sorry. I shouldn't have pressed.”

“It’s okay to wonder. Besides, I wanted to share it with you. I want you to know me. Even the ugly parts. Linda says it’s good to talk about it.”

“Does she know?”

“Yeah, she found me.”

“How old were you?” Noam asked softly.

“Don't know.”

Dara’s hands were balled into fists and his mouth was twisted tightly. Noam wanted to kiss it until it relaxed and lifted into one of those soft, private smiles Dara always gifted him whenever they were bathed in the soft fire of a setting sun. “What did you bet?”

“Hm?”

“The traveler bet his boots, what would you have given him if you lost?”

“Oh, just a kiss.”

Noam raised his eyebrows. “A kiss?”

Dara cocked his head. “You know what those are, right? It’s when you do this.” He bent forward to press his lips against Noam’s.

“No, I know,” another kiss, “what you're talking about, petal.” Another kiss. “But you agreed to that?”

“Of course, I would have agreed to anything. I’m good at playing and also cheating. Plus, he thought I was some pretty empty headed flower nymph so he was way too overconfident. It was easy,” Dara said. Still pressing kisses against his cheeks and jaw.

“What if he had won?”

Dara shrugged. “He never specified where I had to kiss him.” He cocked his head. “You don't think I wanted to kiss him, do you? Noam, you know I don't want to kiss anyone else. For reasons besides the fact that you're probably the only other man besides Leo and Taye in a hundred mile radius.”

“I know but I just don't want you to force yourself to do things you don't want for me. Wait, who’s Leo?”

“He lives that way.” Dara vaguely gestured to his left.

“East?”

“What’s east?”

“It’s the direction from which the sun comes up. What do you call it?”

“The direction from which the sun comes up,” Dara says slowly.

“Right. That’s a good way to call it.”

“I know. You humans make everything way too complicated. It’s so dumb”

Noam smiled. “We sure are.” He kissed Dara again, a little harder than last time and Dara pushed against his shoulders until he was flat on the ground so Dara could straddle him. Noam laid his hands on Dara’s hips, careful to keep them there. Dara, for all his forwardness, had been surprisingly clueless about everything having to do with romantic relationships so Noam knew better than to take this as an invitation for anything. 

He heard a soft splash to his side and when he turned his head he almost crashed it into Ames’s grinning face. “Whatcha doing?”

“Jesus Christ!” Noam almost threw both him and Dara into her river with his flailing.

“Hey, Ames.”

“Hey.” She grinned wider and then climbed on the riverbank, limbs bending just a little too far and teeth a little too sharp but then she settled in a crouch and the unease in Noam’s stomach settled too.

“What do you want?”

She carded a hand through her wet hair and shrugged. “Just wanted to see if you want to go and scare some annoying shepherds.”

Dara hesitated, casting a furtive look at Noam. Noam grabbed his hand. “I’ll go with you.”

Dara smiled but shook his head. “You can’t. It’s almost time to talk to your father. I’ll be fine for a couple of hours.”

Noam squinted at the horizon. Dara was right, unfortunately. “Are you sure?”

Dara pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Very sure, moonboy. Come find me when you're done.” Then he grabbed Ames’s hand and scooted towards the edge. Ames turned to give a last wink to Noam before she pulled both of them over the edge, shouting wildly as she whipped up the current to carry them away like leaves on the sea.

Noam stared after them for a moment before he turned and skipped down, back towards the woods and the place where it was easiest for father to hear him. 

He arrived just before the moonlight hit the gleaming rock and seated himself in front of it. He waited until it was completely bathed in light before he started to speak. “Hi dad,” he murmured. “How’ve you been? I’ve been okay, I’m still with Dara. I told you about him last time. I feel like we’ve been getting closer, I don't feel so alone anymore.” Noam sighed. “When Brennan left me here I was so angry. At him, at the fact that mom died and at you. I hated the fact that you wouldn't visit even though I know you can't. I don't know if you can hear me but I’m sorry. For blaming you. I was just stupid.” Noam didn't know what had gotten into him, probably Dara’s story about his father. Noam wondered for a moment about this man and the fact that he had thrown Dara away like he was dirt. “I’m glad I have you. Even if I barely see you.” Noam smiled at his knees. “Even if you're the personification of a rock.” He talked to his father until the moon traveled away again. “I’ll see you soon.”

He left the clearing, carefully picking his way between the trees until he reached Dara’s garden. He searched through the dark until he saw Dara curled up in the base of a hollowed out tree surrounded by flowers. “Hey,” he whispered. Dara shifted slowly.

“Hm. Noam?”

“Yeah, blossom. Go back to sleep.”

“Did you have a good talk?”

“Yes. Did you have fun?”

“Yes. Come here,” Dara said. Noam smiled and crawled in beside him. Wrapping his arms around Dara’s waist and pulling him back against his chest. Dara made the little satisfied noise he always made when Noam curled up around him. The flowers surrounding them bloomed into a dazzling sea of white.

“Sleep well.”

“Sleep well, moonboy.”

**Author's Note:**

> Why is there a garden in the middle of the woods? 
> 
> hc: it's one of Dara's coping mechanisms. Basically when he was human he loved the palace gardens so Linda made a 'garden' for him to keep him safe bc the woods were too dangerous for a small child and it becomes bit of an anker for him.


End file.
